Bill Riley, the first African Nova Scotian to play in the National Hockey League, has died at the age of 75. Born in Amherst, Nova Scotia, in 1950, Riley passed away on March 29, 2026, after battling cancer. Riley's journey to the NHL was one of perseverance, and he is remembered as an inspiration to many.
Riley made his NHL debut with the Washington Capitals in 1974. He played with the Capitals for parts of four seasons before joining the Winnipeg Jets for the 1979-80 season. In total, Riley played 139 NHL games, scoring 31 goals and 30 assists. Beyond the NHL, Riley also captained the New Brunswick Hawks to a Calder Cup victory in 1982 and played for the Nova Scotia Voyageurs.
After his playing career, Riley remained involved in hockey as a coach. He coached the QMJHL's Moncton Wildcats and his hometown team, the Amherst Ramblers. Jim Bottomley, who coached against Riley in the Maritime junior A circuit, remembers him as a generous coach and community leader, noting that Riley "changed a lot of young people's lives". In 2022, Hockey Nova Scotia created the Bill Riley Award and Scholarship to honor his legacy, recognizing players of African descent who embody his traits of sportsmanship and dedication.
Riley's impact extended far beyond the ice. He was inducted into the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame in 1998. Bruce Rainnie, CEO of the Hall of Fame, noted Riley’s awareness of how important he was for African Nova Scotians, stating, "The old expression, you have to see it to be it? Well, you look at Bill Riley and if you're a young African Nova Scotia kid who likes hockey, there's your proof that, yes, with hard work and determination and all of that stuff, you can make the biggest league in the world". Riley's son, Mark McFarlane, said his father's experience with prejudice fueled his determination: "That does drive a man internally. It drove no one more than Bill Riley".
